


Snack Shack

by ink_writes16



Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: I guess you could say like a little neglectish, Other, So warning ig
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2018-11-25
Packaged: 2019-08-28 19:39:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16729476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ink_writes16/pseuds/ink_writes16
Summary: Race has this little diner right and its full out 50s, roller skates everything. This little girl and her mom come in and Race has a little fun.





	1. Chapter 1

Race wiped the counter with a rag as the bell above the door rang. He saw the woman pulling a little girl into a booth. The little girl was crying and the mom was trying to shush her. Romeo started in that direction, but Race stopped him. 

“I got them.” Romeo nodded.

Race skated over to the booth and placed a menu and a child’s menu. “Welcome to Racetracks Snack Shack, can I start you off with a drink?”

“No.” The woman gave him a quick look and threw him a dirty look. “We’re just here, waiting for Emma to call down.”

Race turned to the girl, who was still crying. “Emma? That’s a really pretty name.”

“Th-Thank you.” Race smiled and wheeled himself to the kitchen.

“Hey, Al? Can you get me a small chocolate milkshake?”

“On it’s way.”

 

Luckily, when it was ready, the girl and her mother were still sitting there. The woman was on her phone and Emma was coloring her menu. Race rolled back over to them and set the milkshake in front of   
Emma; her face lit up and she reached for it. Before she could grab it, however, the woman took it and tried to give it back to Race.

“I’m not paying for this.”

Race took it back and handed it to Emma. “It’s already been paid for.”

The woman furrowed her brow angrily. “By who?”

“Does it matter? Somebody bought your daughter a milkshake, and your upset about it?”

“Yes!”

“Well, we don’t take the food back unless there is something wrong with it. And there’s nothing wrong with this shake. I’m afraid she’s going to have to drink it.” He pulled out a straw, opened it, leaving   
some wrapper so he didn’t touch it. He handed it to Emma and she took it, stuck it in the lid and drank happily. Race smiled at her. The woman glared at him and stood. 

“I want to see the manager.” Race’s smile got wider as he nodded and rolled back into the kitchen.

“She wants to see the manager!” He said dramatically.

Romeo and Al gasped in fake surprise. “No.”

“How dare she?”

Race laughed and rolled out to the table once more.

“Hi, my name is Race. You wanted to see me?”

Emma gasped. “You’re the owner?”

“I am.” He crouched next her. “And we always make sure our customers are happy.”

The woman tapped his shoulder and he stood up. “I am not happy.”

Race shrugged. “You were just going to make your daughter sit in a restaurant while you sat there on your phone, paying no attention to her. I don’t care if you’re not happy. That’s no way to treat a child.”   
Her jaw tensed and her cheeks burned. He looked at the girl; she’d finished her milkshake. “Now, if you don’t need anything else, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

She grabbed Emma’s hand and started walking to the door. Emma, however, shook out of her mother’s grip and hugged Race’s legs. 

“Thank you, Mr. Race.” Race laughed and bent down to hug her.

“You can call me ‘Race’. And you can come back anytime, ok?”

She nodded and walked back to her mother.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER: HOMOPHOBIA BIPHOBIA  
> Ten years later, Emma comes back to the diner as the bearer of bad news and no place to go. Someone else comes too.

Race slid fries onto a plate and placed it in the window. Sarah came up next to him to complete an order.

“There’s a girl at the counter. Looks like she’s about Small’s age. She says her name is Emma and she needs to talk to you.”

Realization set in and he started walking out, mid-order. He passed Smalls and she whispered, “She’s cute.” Race chuckled and finally made it out into the less humid dining area. He saw a girl, 17 or 18, with dark brown hair and bright green eyes. He smiled and walked around the counter, pulling out a stool next to her. 

“I haven’t seen you in a while.” She smiled at him.

“It’s only been three years!” Her face darkened. “I actually… I need to talk to you.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I came out to my mom.”

“I’m guessing she wasn’t too happy about that.”

“She wasn’t mad. Not at first. But then she started treating me differently.” She saw Race clench a fist. “Not like that. Just… Invading my privacy. Suddenly nothing was mine anymore. I had to tell her when I left the house, where I was going, who was going to be there, that person’s sexuality. I eventually confronted her. I told her that there was no reason that she can’t trust me, I was the same girl I always was. She told me I was wrong, that she had no idea who I was. She…” Tears began to fall down her cheeks. Race pulled her into a hug. 

“It’s alright,” he said. He didn’t know if it was going to be okay but he didn’t what to say. 

“I don’t have anywhere to go.” She sobbed into his shoulder. 

“You can stay with me. It’ll be fine I promise.” 

Just then, the bell above the door rang and the door itself smacked against the booth next to it. All eyes were turned on the woman in the doorway. Her brown hair was matted and greasy and her green eyes bore into Race’s. Then they saw Emma, gripping Race’s arm, tears in her eyes. 

“How did I know she was going to be here?” Her voice came out gravely and sharp.

“Saz,” Race called. Sarah came out of the kitchen and looked between Race and the woman. “Take Em to the back office. I’ll be there in a few minutes. Don’t leave her alone.”

Sarah nodded and took Emma’s arm, leading her to the office. Race brought his attention back to the woman in the doorway. “Lori. Let’s talk outside.”

He walked towards her, spun her around and pulled her outside.

“Why would my daughter come here?”

“She trusts me. The real question is: Why did she have to come here?

“That’s not your concern.”

Race stepped toward her, blood boiling. “It is when she says you kicked her out.”

“I didn’t kick her out! I told her if she kept the joke going, I didn’t want her home. So she left.”

“What joke?”

“That she was gay.” Lori shook her head. “I mean, I have met the guys that she’s dated.”

“Did she say she was gay or that she was bi?”

 

“Bi. But it’s the same thing. Bi is just a glorified gay.”

Race scoffed. It took all his power to not smack her. “That is not true! Bisexuals will date either gender, but she may have had a preference. It doesn’t mean she’s either gay or straight. Because she’s bi.”

Lori narrowed her eyes. “You knew? And you didn’t tell me?!” She was starting to yell. “Don’t you think that is something for a mother to know?!”

“It’s not for me to tell you! If she doesn’t tell you there is probably a reason. If Emma didn’t tell you it’s because she didn’t feel comfortable enough!”

She tensed her jaw and took a deep breath. 

“I only came to talk to my daughter. If she’s going to be leaving, then she needs to get her stuff but I want to be there when she comes.”

Race rolled his eyes. “You can call her. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t want to talk to you.”

“I need to speak with her, face to face.”

“Fine. Five minutes.” She nodded. Race led her to the office. Emma looked up from Sarah and frowned. 

Her mother wasted no time.

“You need to get your stuff out of my house by Saturday. Whatever isn’t taken is getting thrown out.” Another tear slipped down Emma’s cheek. “And I’m not paying for you to go to NYU next year.”

 

At this, Emma was on her feet, protesting. “Mom! I have to go!!”

“I will not have someone like you going to college on my bankroll.” Sarah and Race exchanged a look. “It’s not like you’d be able to keep a job anyway.” 

Emma opened her mouth to say something but Race cut her off. 

“It’s time for you to leave.” 

She glared at him. “I was on my way.” She turned and left. Emma sat down stunned. Sarah hugged her and looked at Race. He only shook his head. Emma finally spoke up.  
“I-I can’t af-afford college. What am I going to do?” Race kneeled in front of her, her hands in his. 

“I don’t know.” She sighed and more tears fell. “But what I do know is: you are going to college. I promise.” She smiled weakly. “‘Kay. Sarah and I have to go back to work. You gonna be okay?”

“Yeah. Thanks, Race.”

“Of course.” He stood and went back to the kitchen. He passed Smalls again.

“Is she gay?”

Race raised an eyebrow. “No.” Her face fell. “But she’s bi.” Her face lit up again and she grinned.

“Really?”

“Go talk to her. I think she could really use it.”

Smalls put a cup down and rushed to the office. “That’s for order 3!”

Race laughed and filled the glass up.


End file.
